Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, a permanent witness to the committee. We are continuing our examination of matters arising from the interim report of An Garda Síochána internal audit unit on financial procedures at the Garda College, Templemore. We are joined by the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, Mr. Noel Waters, who is accompanied by Mr. John O'Callaghan, assistant secretary, and Ms Anne Barry, principal officer, who has been with us all day.

We are also joined from the Policing Authority by Ms Helen Hall, chief executive, and Ms Josephine Feehily, chairperson. This is Ms Feehily's first time here as chairperson of the Policing Authority, but she has appeared been here several times previously as chairperson of the Revenue Commissioners and is very familiar with appearing before the Committee of Public Accounts.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Gallery to ensure all mobile phones are turned off or put in airplane mode as otherwise they will interfere with the recording system. It is not sufficient to put them on silent.

I advise witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 186 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government or the merits or objectives of such policies. Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

We are taking note of the speakers and I will give a two-minute warning. We will stop at the end of ten minutes and that will be it. The secretariat officials are taking note of people who are putting up their hands.

I will put the first question to Ms Feehily, chairperson of the Policing Authority, and I will move on to the first questioner after that. Her organisation has been in existence for a year and a half at this stage. When did she become aware of this issue? What action has the Policing Authority taken to ensure these matters in Templemore were brought to a conclusion? I ask her to outline her role in this. Is the flow of information from An Garda Síochána to the Policing Authority as she would have expected?